So from chocolate cake to something a little more savoury…’Pumpkin Bread’. A recipe which seems appropriate at this time of year, as the nights are drawing in and the golden leaves start to fall from the trees. But what is missing this time? Well kneading! The main technique usually required to produce a loaf isn’t ‘needed’!!! You just have to leave the dough over night to do its magic. And there are no eggs or dairy products in this loaf either making it suitable for vegans and veggies.
PUMPKIN PUREE
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F/ 180 deg C.
Take a small pumpkin and clean the skin to remove any excess dirt or soil.
Slice the pumpkin in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
Then slice the pumpkin into large wedges and arrange in a roasting tray.
Add a cup of water to the tray and cover with tin foil.
Bake in the oven until the pumpkin is tender and easily peels away from the skin (it will probably take about 90 minutes, depending on the size of the wedges).
Once cooked remove from the oven and allow the pumpkin to cool until you are able to handle it. Remove the skin from the wedges, put the flesh in a sieve or colander placed over a bowl and allow any excess moisture to drain off of the pumpkin.
Finally place the flesh in a food processor and blend to a smooth puree, it is now ready to use in the recipe below (any excess puree makes a great base for pumpkin soup, or can be frozen and used at a later date).
INGREDIENTS (makes 2 loaves)
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups warm water
1 packet fast action dried yeast (7g)
2 tsp salt
6 cups plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
Put all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir well using a wooden spoon or spatula to form a wet, sticky dough.
Once all of the ingredients are fully combined cover the bowl with a lightly oiled piece of cling film and leave for 12 to 16 hours.
Flour a work surface well and using a spatula scrape half of the dough out of the bowl and onto the work surface. The dough will still be very sticky, but flour your hands well and shape the dough into a rough square. Fold each corner into the centre and carefully flip the dough over so that the folds are facing down and all sides of the loaf are coated in flour. Flour your hands again if needed and shape into a round loaf.
Dust a baking sheet with plenty of flour to prevent sticking and transfer the loaf to the tray (folds facing down) sprinkling the top of the loaf with flour.
Repeat this process with the remaining dough to make a second loaf.
Leave the dough in a warm room for 1 ½ hours to rise.
Place a roasting tin, half filled with water, in the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 deg F / 220 deg C. Make an incision across the top of each loaf using a sharp knife and bake in the oven for 50 – 55 minutes. If the crust of the bread colours quickly reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 deg F/ 180 deg C for the final 10 minutes of cooking.
Allow to cool before slicing.
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